Investigating residents’ perceptions of green retrofit program in mature residential estates: The case of Singapore

Abstract

Over the past decade, green retrofit has been gaining popularity around the world, and considerable buildings have been retrofitted to improve their energy efficiency. So far, however, limited was known about the residents' perceptions of those completed green retrofit programs. Thus, this study investigated the residents' perceptions of the green retrofit programs and explored their willingness to extend the green retrofit into individual houses. To achieve these goals, a questionnaire survey was administered to 90 residents from a mature public residential estate in Singapore which just completed a pilot green retrofit program. Survey results showed that 86 percent of respondents were satisfied with the green retrofit program, and in particular, the outdoor light emitting diode lighting was found to be the most satisfied green feature. The survey results also showed that more than 50 percent of respondents were supportive of having their individual houses undergo green retrofit and were willing to bear an upfront cost up to SGD 5000 (approximately USD 3540). Also, this study found that achieving cost savings from lower utility bills in the long run was the top motivation that drives residents to retrofit their houses, and an energy monitoring system was the most preferred green feature. Additionally, this study also came up with three practical recommendations to improve upon the current green retrofit program. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by making a thorough investigation of residents’ perceptions of green retrofit programs. Also, the findings from this study can help authorities upgrade their green retrofit programs to create more energy efficiency benefits for the residents.